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| LASER
BASICS |
The
Engraving Process
The laser engraving and cutting process can be as easy as printing
from your computer to your paper printer. Set up your artwork using
a Windows95/98 based PC and some of today's popular graphics and cutting
packages such as CorelDRAW. Scanned images, clipart, CAD files and
more can all be used for "printing" to the laser. Instead of putting
toner on paper, the laser engraves or cuts into wood, acrylic, plastic,
and many other non-metallic materials. |
Raster
Engraving
- Raster engraving can best be described as very high resolution
dot matrix "printing". Used to create highly detailed graphic
images, the laser head scans back and forth, left to right,
engraving a series of dots one line at a time. As the laser
head moves down, line by line, the dot pattern forms the image
that was "printed" from your computer. Scanned images, text
and clipart are types of graphic images that are normally raster
engraved.
Vector Cutting - Different from raster engraving, vector
cutting is a continuous path that follows the outline, or profile,
of an image. Vector cutting is normally used to cut completely
through materials such as wood, acrylic, paper, etc. It can
also be used for quick marking of characters and geometric patterns. |
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Resolution
- Resolution is a measure of the image quality that can be achieved
with a laser engraver. Resolution is expressed in dots per inch (DPI)
and is determined by the number of lines or dots that are engraved
for every inch of movement. The higher the resolution, the finer the
detail that can be achieved. The Legend line of laser engraving and
cutting systems can engrave at resolutions ranging from 200 to 1200
DPI. Standard engraving resolutions for most work is performed at
400 to 600 DPI.
Engraving Speed - The speed at which
the engraving head travels, expressed in inches per second (IPS).
High speeds mean high productivity. Speed is also used to control
depth of cut. For a given power level, the slower the speed, the deeper
the laser will engrave or cut. The speed is adjustable in 1% increments
and can be controlled either from your computer or from the control
panel on the engraver. Epilog's superior motion control system allows
for exceptional quality even at high speeds. NEXT
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